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On Friday 22.03.2013 Jon Cruddas MP met with local residents and Havering Council’s Head of Street care to hand over a petition raised by local parents. The petition was a response to a road accident involving a child and calls for proper crossing facilities.

Following weeks of local campaigning and a petition raised by residents, it is still not clear whether the requested works will take place. Jon has been in talks with parents, local councillors, Havering’s Borough Commander and the Council’s head of street care trying to pressure an action.

The issue is one of public safety; recently a child was injured when a lorry mounted the pavement at the Rainham Road, Nelson Road and Blacksmiths Lane cross section in South Hornchurch. Local parents were outraged and requested the introduction of a proper crossing as there is a school nearby. Parents have highlighted the area as an ‘accident waiting to happen’.

Jon Cruddas MP - "Over the past few weeks many local parents have brought to my attention their concerns regarding the safety of the Rainham Road, Nelson Road and Blacksmiths Lane cross section in South Hornchurch. I am in full support of the parents taking action on this issue; they have already raised a petition and I joined them on Friday to present it to the Head of Street care at Havering Council. I am currently liaising with Havering Council as well as the police to make sure that adequate safety measures are installed.

"The hope is that a crossing is put in place at Blacksmiths Lane and a crossing attendant is employed by Havering Council to be on site at peak times – when children are travelling to and from school. I have been working closely with local South Hornchurch councillor Dennis Breading and have been in contact with the group of local parents on a weekly basis. This is a hugely concerning issue and one that needs to be dealt with imminently before anymore local residents, either pedestrians or drivers get hurt."

It has been suggested that a new crossing and the employment of an attendant would cost the local council somewhere in the region of £40,000. Jon Cruddas MP for Dagenham and Rainham (incorporating South Hornchurch and Elm Park) along with Havering Council are still awaiting the results of a police report into the site and based on its outcome Havering Council will make a decision.

Jon commented: "I will continue to do all I can to make sure that the site is made safe no matter the cost as I think that children’s safety should be paramount in instances such as this."